League: Wiki joins Warriors' new-look training staff

Four years after his retirement, Ruben Wiki will return
fulltime to the Warriors after being confirmed today in the
club's new-look strength and conditioning department.

Since ending his stellar playing career with 312 NRL
appearances and a then-world record 55 tests, Wiki has had
part-time roles with the Warriors and last season was the
team's defensive coach.

Now the 39-year-old will again be a fixture at his old club,
after being appointed to work under new strength and
conditioning coach Carl Jennings in the Warriors' bolstered
training staff.

The Warriors are still on the hunt for an assistant coach to
work under new mentor Matt Elliott, with general manager of
football operations Dean Bell confirming that Tony Iro's
replacement, along with the full coaching team, will be
announced in the next few days.

Otara-raised Wiki said he couldn't wait to embrace his job
when the Warriors reconvene on Monday to start their
pre-Christmas off-season training programme.

"I'm so excited about being back here. I love this place and
being involved with the players like this is my passion," he
said. "I'm really looking to working with Matt again, and
also Carl. We go back to the Canberra days."

Wiki's 225-game Canberra career ran from 1993-2004 before he
joined the Warriors. Elliott was on the Raiders' coaching
staff from 2001-2006 while Jennings was the head strength and
conditioning coach.

"I'm delighted to be working with Ruben again," Elliott said.
"As a person, he models the culture we want to develop at the
Warriors.

"There's his obvious wealth of experience as player at the
highest level and, since retiring, he has also become a
skilled practitioner in the strength and conditioning field."

Apart from his strength and conditioning role, Elliott said
Wiki would also contribute in a coaching capacity by
mentoring NRL players.

Bell said confirmation of the expanded training department
marked a vital step forward for the club.

"This is a key outcome of the plans announced in July when
(owners) Owen Glenn and Eric Watson committed to a
substantial investment in personnel, sports science and other
resources for our football department.

"This is a critical start and it points us in the right
direction as we strive for best-practice in our football
operation."